These recommendations relate to shortfalls identified in the South Wales Police domestic abuse procedure and guidance documents.
The IPCC recommends that all current and future Procedure, Guidance and Policy documents are assigned a version number, and that this version number accurately reflects any amendments to the policy.
Yes
All Guidance and Procedure is assigned a version number which has a robust process that accurately reflects amendments. These changes and versions are recorded in the associated Amendment Record. The majority of remaining Policy documents also contain a version number, which are reviewed and updated when transferred into the Guidance and Procedure templates.
The IPCC recommends that South Wales Police provide the following details on every Procedure, Guidance and Policy document: the date of publication; the date of the most recent review; the date by which the next review must be conducted; and the current version number.
Yes
Partially accepted. [SWP] have only responded in relation to Guidance and Procedure as all policy documents are being replaced by them.
A. Date of publication (fist published). Printed in Guidance only, not essential in procedure which can be used as a quick reference guide/sop.
B. Date of most recent review. Printed in both Guidance and Procedure.
C. Date by which the next review must be conducted. Maintained on an internal spreadsheet. A decision was made not to print this date on Guidance and Procedure - this information is not required by the reader/user.
D. Current version number. Printed in both Guidance and Procedure.
Initially South Wales Police only partially accepted the recommendation. Further correspondence took place and the recommendation was later accepted. South Wales Police stated that they had since carried out a review of their policies and had addressed version control and labelling in their new approach. South Wales Police explained that all of their Guidance and Procedure documents will contain dates for first publication and for latest reviewed. This was in recognition that these dates provide an assessment of the age of the document and the advice contained within it.
The following extracts relate:
"We have since carried out a review of our policies and have addressed version control and labelling in our new approach"
"In line with your comments, all of our Guidance and Procedure documents will now contain dates for first published and last reviewed. These dates provide an assessment of the age of the document and advice."
The IPCC recommends that the Public Protection Department amend their Guidance documents so that the content does not duplicate the content of the Procedure documents.
Yes
Procedure documents set out the mandatory practice required by South Wales Police of its officers and staff. This should be seen as a quick reference guide/minimum expectation. Guidance contains the same mandatory process elaborated, where required, with details of best practice and supporting information for use with learning/training and for reading when more time is available. Therefore there will be instances of duplication.
Initially South Wales Police only partially accepted the recommendation. Further correspondence took place and the recommendation was later accepted. South Wales Police stated that where there was no significant difference between the Guidance and Procedure documents, the Guidance documents would be deleted, and reference to them removed.
The following extracts relate:
"Where there are no significant differences between Guidance and Procedure documents, the Guidance documents are being deleted and reference to them removed."
"All Guidance and Procedure documents will now be clearly as such".
The IPCC recommends that South Wales Police conduct a review of all Procedure and Guidance documents to ensure that the documents do not duplicate one another. The review should assess whether the Procedure document clearly sets out the mandatory practice, and whether the Guidance document contains details of best practice and any supporting information. In the event that any duplication is identified, the relevant documents should be amended appropriately.
Yes
Over the last 12 months South Wales has conducted a review of all Policies and converted them to Guidance and Procedure. To date this process has removed 51 old policies. 16 of these merged with other policies, where duplication and overlap existed, into new Guidance and Procedure,. The review process also looked to identify and remove any contradiction in procedures and clearly cross reference procedures that overlapped or cover similar business areas.
Initially South Wales Police only partially accepted the recommendation. Further correspondence took place and the recommendation was later accepted. South Wales Police stated that, as with the public protection Procedure and Guidance documents, where there was no significant difference between Guidance and Procedure documents, the Guidance documents would be deleted and reference to them removed. They further stated that all Guidance and Procedure documents would be clearly labelled as such.
The following extracts relate:
"Where there are no significant differences between Guidance and Procedure documents, the Guidance documents are being deleted and reference to them removed."
"All Guidance and Procedure documents will now be clearly as such".